Apparition
by adromir
Summary: During a drive home one night, Steve encounters something he cannot explain.
1. Chapter 1

**SUMMARY: During a drive home one night, Steve encounters something he cannot explain.**

**A/N: This particular LOD story takes place after Season 5. A little different in genre. Might be out of place with the series' original setting. Anyway, cheers for reading, mates!**

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_London. Thirty years ago…_

It was a summer night like many others. Only tonight it brought along a fierce thunderstorm.

Cowering under his blanket, little Steve Arnott tightly closed his eyes against the flashes of lightning that played across his bedroom window. He prayed hard not to be struck by them, but some cruel words kept repeating in his mind.

"Your eyebrows are like clumps of peat moss," the elder boy, Eric, had taunted Steve earlier in the day when they were playing cops and robbers in the Arnott's family front yard. "A pagan's eyebrows. You will be strike by lightning someday."

Indeed, Steve's eyebrows were truly distinctive. Thick and dark, they were so prominent against his pale features that he always became the butt of a joke among the neighborhood children. Young kids could be so cruel.

A loud thunder boomed right atop the Arnott's house accompanied by a bright flash of lightning, causing the five-year-old boy to shriek with fear. He instantly leapt off his bed before he ran out to barge into his brother's bedroom.

"Sh…Shane?"

Stirring awake, twelve-year-old Shane Arnott rose himself onto one elbow to squint at his brother who stood fidgeting by his bed. "Stevie? What's wrong, mate?"

Steve bit his lower lip. "The lightning…the thunder…I'm scared."

Sighing, Shane swiped aside the blanket before gesturing at his brother. "Come here then."

The younger boy didn't need further invitation. He climbed onto the bed to snuggle close against his brother's warm chest. As Shane pulled the covers over them both, another loud thunder roared again. Steve jumped in fright with a yelp.

Comfortingly, Shane gathered his younger brother into his arms. "Don't be afraid, Shortlegs. It's just a thunderstorm. It will pass."

"The lightning will strike me…any minute now," Steve whimpered, utterly shaken. "I'm sure of it."

Frowning, Shane looked down at his brother. "What made you say such a thing?"

"I have pagan's eyebrows."

"_Pagan_?" Shane was surprised that his little brother would even know that word. "Who told you that?"

"Eric."

"Eric Kimble the terrible, who lives next door?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he's a twat. Don't believe anything he says," Shane hotly grumbled. He vowed to have a word with that horrid boy come morning. Or maybe he could slap him around a bit to make clear his point.

"But what if it's true, Shane?"

"It is not true."

"Really?"

"Yes. Because I said so."

When he could still feel the small body in his arms trembling, Shane knew he had to take Steve's mind off the thunderstorm or both of them wouldn't be getting any sleep soon. The elder boy reached over to grab something from the nightstand by the bed before showing it to his brother.

"Here, take a look at this."

Steve took it from his brother's hand and frowned. "What is it?"

"The Japanese call it origami," Shane replied.

"Origami?"

"It's an art of paper folding. You can create anything with just a piece of paper."

"It looks like a bird." A massive thunder boomed once again, but Steve didn't seem to notice as he was deeply engrossed with the artwork, turning it around several times to study it.

"Actually it's a white crane," Shane said, feeling real pleased with himself that he managed to distract his kid brother. "The Japanese believe that white crane is a bird of happiness. They said that if you fold a thousand origami cranes, your wish will come true. It is also a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times."

"You made this?"

"Yes."

"How many have you made?"

"Just this one."

"How do you know how to make it?"

"Lizzie taught me how."

"Lizzie? That girl you brought from school last week?"

Shane shook his head with a smile, amused by his brother's inquisitive nature. "That's right."

"She's pretty. Have you kissed her yet?"

That caused Shane to burst into laughter. He gathered his brother close and squeezed him tight until the younger boy squirmed with a fit of giggles.

"Save that question for another time, kiddo. It's time to sleep."

Steve stared at the paper crane with full wonder. "Can you teach me how to make this?"

"Sure, Shortlegs. But later. Now sleep."

"I want to make a thousand cranes so my wish will come true."

"Of course. Close your eyes now."

It took Steve a full minute to drift back to a deep slumber, still clutching the origami piece. Assured that his little brother would not be bothered by the thunderstorm anymore, Shane leaned down to kiss the back of the boy's head before he too promptly fell asleep.

Outside, the symphony of thunder and lightning continued to rage all through the night.

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_Present time…_

DS Steve Arnott flinched as another lightning flashed across the windscreen of his service vehicle—a silver Volvo S90—accompanied by a booming thunder. He almost hit the brakes on instinct but managed to refrain himself from doing so. Lightning and thunder didn't scare him much anymore, not like when he was a young boy with astraphobia, but they still made him nervous.

It was a typical Saturday night in summer. Steve had just dropped his lady friend at her home in a small town called Burton about an hour drive from the downtown restaurant where they just had their dinner date. They recently met at the gym that Steve frequented. After a full week of admiring her bright red hair and sparkling green eyes, Steve had finally found the courage to ask her out.

Which turned out to be a real big mistake on his part.

The moment they sat down at the restaurant, Steve had instantly realized that she was not the kind of woman for him. He had watched in shock as she snapped at the waiter for the slight delay in taking their orders. And then, she had given detailed and precise instructions on how the restaurant should prepare her food.

"No fat and no carb. I need to watch my figure," she had said to Steve with a coy grin.

Afterwards, the talk over dinner had been about her and nothing else. For someone who interrogated people for a living, Steve had been struck dumb with dismay. He had never expected that beneath the stunning package was a person so vain. Utterly disappointed, he almost rose to his feet and left her on the spot.

But as a gentleman raised properly by his parents, Steve had endured the unbearable hour and a half with a polite smile, even though he couldn't wait to get it all over and done with. Later at her front door, when he had declined her invitation to come inside and spend the night in her bed, she had stared at him as if he were eunuch before slamming the door in his face, much to his great relief.

It had started raining even before he left her house, and it had elevated into a thunderstorm during his drive home. He needed to put the windshield wipers on maximum power or he would not be able to see a bloody thing. The speed limit had been cut to half, and he had to firmly grip the steering wheel in case he hydroplaned on the treacherous road surface. He didn't want to end an already dreadful night by skidding off the road into a ditch.

Unfortunately for him, the night was far from over. Driving on the main road, he was about a half an hour from the city proper when the traffic came to almost a stand still. There were rows upon rows of red blur from the rear lights of the vehicle in front of him.

"Shit," Steve swore. "What now?"

Muttering curses under his breath, he switched on the car satnav system. Besides giving him directions, it also provided latest updates regarding the route he was taking including traffic congestion, road hazards, or RTC. Right now, the automatic system was telling him that the road ahead was now completely blocked by a fallen tree and the clearing work was still in progress.

Steve sighed, his eyes rolling. "Great. Just what I need."

The dashboard clock indicated that it was a quarter past ten. He hated to be stuck there for hours, and in the middle of a thunderstorm to boot. Checking the satnav again, he searched for any alternative routes. The system gave him only one option, and that was by using a back road that went through the Queen's Chase woodlands. For that, he needed to turn his car around and drive for another five kilometers before entering the woodlands via its north gate.

It was not the best of choices, for the path through the Queen's Chase woods was narrow and quite deserted at this time of night, but that was all he had. Therefore, after checking the traffic on both ways, Steve turned the Volvo into the opposite lane and headed back the way he had come from.

The heavy rain was limiting his sight that he almost missed the turnoff that led to the north entrance of the woods. From then on, he simply followed the satnav directions without a problem. Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as he stared at the thick darkness around him, with all the trees swaying dangerously from the strong wind. He prayed hard that none of them would fall over and hit his car. Imagine, getting hit by a fallen tree to escape a fallen tree. That would be ironic.

His mobile phone suddenly buzzed in the pocket of his suit jacket, startling him. Fishing it out, he was surprised to learn that his erstwhile date had left him a curt text message.

_Fuck you, arsehole_.

"Crazy bitch," Steve muttered with a shake of his head. He was placing down the phone onto the middle console when it happened.

A young boy suddenly appeared out of nowhere to dash across the road right in front of his car.

"Jesus Christ!"

Swearing, Steve instinctively swerved to avoid hitting him. The Volvo skidded across the wet asphalt, heading straight towards an ancient oak tree. Slamming on the brakes, he fought hard with the steering wheel to regain control until it finally stopped within inches of the tree bark.

Trembling from shock, Steve had to take several deep breaths to regain his composure before making a quick inspection upon his person. Except for the slight smarting across his chest from the seat belt pressure, he was completely fine, all limbs still perfectly attached. And then he remembered the boy.

"God almighty..."

Taking out a flashlight from the dashboard drawer, he unclipped his seat belt and got out of the car into the rain. He pointed the flashlight this way and that to search for the boy, fully aware of the surrounding darkness and the remoteness of the area.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" Steve called out, blinking water off his eyes. It was still raining so heavily that he was completely drenched within seconds.

At first, he felt so confused when he received no response. He even thought that the running figure might have just been his imagination. But then he caught the sound of somebody whimpering, which came from behind the nearby bushes.

He cautiously made his approach. Peering around the bushes, he found a young boy sit huddling there, shivering from the cold. The boy stared back at him with such fear in his eyes that Steve was left dumbfounded, not sure what he should do.

"Hey, kid. Are you alright?" Steve finally asked with a reassuring smile so as not to alarm the boy.

The boy blinked and shook his head, hugging himself harder.

"I'm so sorry, I almost hit you back there. Are you sure you're alright?"

When the boy said nothing but continued to cry silently, Steve knew what he needed to do next. "You must be cold. Look, let's get you in my car where it's warmer. Don't be frightened, okay? I'm a copper. I'll take care of you. Here, take my hand."

For several moments, the boy simply stared back without a word. And then, ever so slowly, he reached up to grab Steve's proffered hand. Then, to Steve's utter surprise, the boy jumped into his arms. A sense of sheer protectiveness immediately ran through him as he held the boy close and carried him to his car.

"Here we are, mate. Safe and sound," Steve said as he shut the door before putting the boy in the front passenger seat. Turning up the heater, he then grabbed a folded blanket from the backseat. He wrapped the boy with the blanket and asked, "So, can you talk? What's your name?"

Initially, Steve was convinced that he would not get a clear response. Under the car dome light he gave his surprise guest a quick once over. The boy's age was approximately four to five years old, blond, with eyes as blue as the Mediterranean Sea. Under the blanket, he wore a red t-shirt and black pants.

"Adam," the boy suddenly said, startling Steve.

"Adam?" Steve wanted to confirm. "That's your name?"

The boy nodded. "Yes. I am Adam."

"Hello, Adam. I'm Steve. Do you live around here?"

Shaking his head, Adam replied, "No."

"Then how did you get here? What are you doing in the middle of the woods, all by yourself?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know."

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't know." The boy shrugged again.

Frowning now, Steve's mind was thinking fast on possible scenarios. Peering into the pitch black darkness outside, he was sure that there was no residential area nearby. Adam was either lost or someone had brought him into the woods and left him there, accidentally or maybe intentionally. No matter what Adam's actual situation was, as a police officer Steve had the responsibility to make sure that the boy received immediate help.

"Okay, Adam. This is what we should do," Steve said with a smile. "We are going to the hospital so some doctors can check you over, to make sure that you're fine."

At Adam's look of alarm, Steve quickly assured him, "Don't worry. The doctors are nice people, and so are the nurses. If you're sick, they will help you get better. Trust me."

"Okay," was Adam's short reply, much to Steve's relief.

"And then we're going to find your parents," Steve added, "So that you can go home with them. But first, I need to know their names. What are your mom and dad's names, Adam?"

"Lizbeth."

"Lizbeth? That's your mom's name?"

"Uh huh."

"And your dad's?"

"Mike."

"Mike what? What is his last name?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know."

Steve had to stifle a sigh. Well, he couldn't really blame the kid. Adam was still too young to know much about anything. Leaning over, he made some adjustments on the seatbelt before pulling it over Adam and buckling him in.

"Alright, kid. Sit tight. We better get moving now," Steve said, carefully backing his car onto the road before turning the Volvo towards the direction of the city.

As he drove, Steve kept sending the boy surreptitious glances. He noticed when the boy flinched every time the lightning flashed overhead. To distract Adam from the thunderstorm, Steve reached over to take out something from the dashboard drawer.

"Here," he said, passing the object to Adam.

When the boy took it with an inquisitive look, Steve explained, "It's a crane, some type of a bird. I made it using a piece of paper."

Actually, Steve had used a political leaflet he had found stuck under the windshield wiper of his car in a mall carpark the day before. During a mind-numbing stakeout outside a suspect's house hours afterward, DI Kate Fleming had watched in amazement as he kept folding the leaflet until it resembled the artful shape.

"How the bloody hell did you know how to do that?" his partner, who was also his superior, had asked with wide eyed wonder. Steve had merely laughed in response. And then the suspect had appeared, and he had quickly stashed the paper crane into the dashboard drawer so that he could drive in pursuit of the suspect's car.

"It is called origami by the Japanese," Steve was now telling Adam. "They believe that if you fold a thousand origami cranes, your wish will come true. I don't know how many cranes I've made since. I've lost count. But if I had a wish, I hope that you will reunite with your mom and dad very soon."

For the first time since they met, Adam's face broke into a big smile. "Thank you."

Steve smiled back. "You're welcome."

"You are a truly kind man. Only you can help me."

Steve blinked. It was Adam's voice that spoke, but the words were not of a young boy's. And those huge blue eyes, the gaze was so deeply intense as if it belonged to an old soul.

When Steve involuntarily shivered, he thought that it was due to the cold. He was soaked to the skin anyway. Yet at the same time he felt that there was something unnervingly peculiar about the entire situation, only he couldn't figure out what it was.

About ten minutes later, they finally reached the south gate of the woodlands.

"Almost there, Adam," Steve said, his eyes focusing on the T-junction ahead. "We are turning onto the city road, and the hospital is just five minutes away. Not long now."

When he got no response, Steve turned to look. And got the biggest shock of his life.

The little boy was gone.

Steve slammed on the brakes, sending the car skidding until it came to a shaking stop in the middle of the road. He stared in bewilderment, his heart pounding. The passenger seat was empty except for the blanket he had wrapped around Adam earlier. Even the seatbelt was still buckled down.

"Adam!" he called out, frantically looking into the backseat. No Adam there.

_Shit. Where on earth did he go?_

Checking the passenger door, Steve was assured that it had been properly shut and locked. Besides, he would know if Adam had opened it during the drive. Or would he?

"Adam! Where are you?"

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Steve hurriedly got out of the car. The heavy rain had turned into a drizzle, but it was enough to drench him all over again. Panicking, he quickly walked around the Volvo, looking for any clues directing to the boy's whereabouts.

"Adam!" he hollered again as he began to jog back up the road, thinking that the boy had managed to open the door somehow and fell out. But there was no sign of a small body lying by the side of the road.

Returning to his car with great reluctance, Steve warily stared at the darkness around him. He suddenly felt chills run up and down his spine.

_What the fuck is going on?_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**A/N: The story is not over yet. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

"**So maybe we should start thinking the unthinkable." – DS Steve Arnott.**

**.**

*** ****ABBREVIATIONS****:**

**AC - Anti Corruption**

**DI - Detective Inspector**

**DS - Detective Sergeant**

**RTC - Road traffic collision**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi, y'all. Here's a new chapter.**

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At her kitchen sink, DI Kate Fleming stacked the last dinner plate to dry. She then peered out through the kitchen window to frown at the stormy weather. It had been raining real heavily for over an hour now, and it didn't look like it would stop any time soon. If it continued to pour like this come morning, she had to cancel her earlier plans to take Josh to a football clinic downtown.

Kate was standing there, contemplating alternative recreational program for her son when a pair of arms came from behind to wrap around her slim waist. She smiled, and turned around to give her husband a peck in the mouth.

"Hey, love," Mark Fleming greeted her.

"Hey, yourself. How's Josh?"

"He has fallen asleep. Finally."

"The thunder doesn't scare him?"

"Nothing scares that kid. He got that from his mother, the badass lady copper."

With a soft laughter, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him some more. In return, he slipped his hands up her blouse to cup her breasts and—

Kate's mobile phone from atop the kitchen counter suddenly chose that moment to ring.

Mark groaned out loud. Leaning his forehead against hers, he muttered, "Don't answer it."

She gave him a rueful smile, patting his cheek. "You know I have to. Sorry."

He groaned again, louder this time, and reluctantly stepped away from her so she could reach for the phone.

Kate's eyes widened when she noticed that the call was from her partner. "Hey, Steve? What's up?"

"Is that Steve? Tell him he just c-blocked me," Mark drily commented,

"Shh…" Kate rolled her eyes in amusement at her husband before focusing her attention back on the call, "I thought you had a date tonight. How did it go, mate?"

At first, she could hear nothing except for the sound of Steve's heavy breathing. Her smile quickly vanished. "Steve, are you there? Is something wrong?"

"Uh…I'm not sure," Steve finally said.

"What do you mean, you're not sure? Are you alright?"

After a short silence, Steve said, "I guess so. I just…Look, Kate. I really need to talk to you."

"Yes, of course. I'm listening. Has something happened?"

He scoffed, albeit weakly. "You can say that again."

"Steve, you're scaring me. Where the hell are you?"

"Actually I'm out here, right in front of your house."

"_What_?" Kate was understandably surprised.

"What is it?" Mark curiously asked as he followed his wife towards the front hall. Kate pushed aside the curtains to peer out the window. Steve's car was parked in front of her driveway.

"Kate? What's going on?" Mark asked her again.

Turning to her husband, she shrugged. "I have no idea. But Steve sounds real strange. I need to speak to him and find out what's wrong."

At her husband's look of disappointment, she quickly said, "Whatever it is, I'll make it quick."

"Yeah, that's what you always said before." With that, Mark spun and headed upstairs.

Kate sighed. Promising herself to appease her husband later, she went to grab her coat before opening the front door. After pulling the coat hoodie over her head, she dashed through the drizzling rain towards Steve's car.

"Steve?" she called, knocking on the window. When he unlocked the door for her, she quickly got in.

"Alright, mate. Tell me, what's the matter?" Kate asked. She then noticed her partner's sodden appearance. "Jesus, Steve. You are completely drenched! What happened?"

He briefly hesitated before saying, "I don't know, Kate. It's hard for me to explain."

"Why is it so hard for you to explain? Were you attacked again? Or was it your date? Has something happen to her?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "This has nothing to do with my date. It's something else."

"What then? Tell me," Kate said with an earnest gaze, but Steve avoided to meet her eyes as if he was embarrassed about something.

"I'm not sure how to tell you. It was…awfully weird," he said, looking utterly shaken.

Kate stared at him with deep concern. Never had she seen him reacting this way before. "You're shivering, Steve. You must be freezing. Let's get you inside so you can get warm."

"But—"

"That is not a request," she said, pushing open the door. "Come on."

Steve sighed and got out of the car. "Yes, ma'am."

When they both entered the house, they were met by Mark who stood frowning at them from the top of the stairs. "Is everything alright?"

"Something comes up," Kate explained, hanging up her coat. "I'll put the kettle on and make us some hot drinks. Mark, please take Steve upstairs to the guest bedroom and give him a change of clothing. Steve, leave your wet clothes outside the door. I'll put them in the dryer."

"Kate, I don't want to impose—"

"Just do it," she briskly said before heading towards the kitchen.

Sighing, Steve exchanged helpless looks with Mark who simply told him with a shrug, "Better do as she says. She's the boss."

"Fine." Steve finally relented. After taking off his shoes, he followed Kate's husband up the stairs. "By the way, did I really c-block you just now?"

"You heard, eh?" Mark smirked. "Awful timing, man."

"Sorry."

Fifteen minutes later, Steve came back downstairs wearing a turtleneck pullover and a pair of sweatpants that Mark had given him. He had also put on a pair of socks, so his footsteps were muffled as he walked into the kitchen and caught the Fleming couple in the middle of a whispered argument. They instantly clammed up when he appeared.

"Look, I didn't mean to intrude," Steve said apologetically. "I'll go if you want me to."

"Don't be daft," Kate snapped. "Sit down and drink your coffee before it gets cold."

With a grim expression, Kate's husband made a move to leave the room but Steve said, "Actually, I would prefer if Mark stays."

The other man paused and turned around, surprised. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Something strange happened to me tonight," Steve told him. "Your opinion might be useful to help me understand what is actually going on."

After a brief glance at Kate, Mark nodded and went to sit opposite Steve at the kitchen counter. Kate brought another cup of coffee for her husband before sitting down herself.

"Okay, Steve. We're listening."

Taking a deep breath, Steve began, "First of all, my date was a total disaster."

Kate and Mark listened without interruptions as Steve recounted his recent experience. Their eyes grew larger when Steve told them about meeting the small boy in the woods. And when Steve got to the part about the boy's sudden disappearance, they both had goosebumps all over their arms.

"You must think I'm crazy," Steve said after he finished telling the story. "_I _think I'm crazy. But I swear to you, it really happened. I wasn't imagining things."

Kate and Mark looked at each other. And then she said, "I believe you, Steve. But to be honest, it's too bizarre."

"I know." Steve sighed, staring into his empty coffee cup. "It's hard for me to believe it either. I might need to get myself a psych evaluation. _Again_."

"Wait, Steve," said Mark. "You said this happened in the middle of Queen's Chase woods, right?"

"Yes." Steve nodded.

"Well, that explains it."

Kate gave her husband a puzzled look. "What are you saying?"

Mark stared at them both. "You never heard of it?"

"Heard about what?"

"The urban legend!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Really, Mark. You and your fetish with urban legends..."

"What urban legend?" Steve asked, his interest piqued.

"You're not from around here, are you, Steve?"

"He's not. He's a Londoner," Kate answered on Steve's behalf. "Mark, what are you getting at?"

"As you already knew, I was born and bred here. I've heard many urban legends regarding Queen's Chase Woodlands since I was a kid, including the numerous reports about car accidents that happened in those woods." Mark said, getting excited by the minute, "From the drivers' accounts, they tried to avoid hitting a child who suddenly came running across the road."

Steve's already pale face turned whiter, while Kate stared incredulously at her husband.

"Seriously?" she asked after a long uncomfortable silence.

"Look, bear with me for a moment," Mark said. "Yes, urban legends are mostly myths and hearsays. But those stories do not exist by themselves. They are based on certain factual events that got widely circulated with too much superfluous elements to be completely true. However, the reports on the accidents that occurred in those woods are basically the same for many years now. All the drivers saw a running young boy before they crashed."

Moaning, Steve buried his head in his hands. "Shit."

Kate glared at her husband. "Truly, you're not making that up?"

Mark glared back. "I'm not making things up, Kate. I'm just telling you the stories I heard about those woods."

Turning to Steve, Mark asked, "And I think this is the first time I heard about a driver directly interacting with that mysterious boy. You said his name was Adam?"

Steve raised his head. "Yeah, that's what he told me."

"And his parents' names were Lizbeth and Mike, right? I think we can work out something here. Give me a minute. I'll be right back."

Mark left the kitchen, much to Steve and Kate's bafflement. When he returned shortly afterwards, Mark brought along his laptop with him. As he busily typed at his computer, the two AC-12 officers came closer to hover over his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"Looking for a connection," Mark explained as he opened a search engine that was linked to the sites of local newspapers and bulletin reports. Most of the sites could be accessed on subscription only, but Mark was an IT consultant so he found a way the get around the restrictions.

"Adam + Lizbeth + Mike," he muttered as he typed, frowning slightly when the search came up with empty result. "No, that's not it. Maybe it should be Adam + Elizabeth + Michael. Now let's see if we can get anything."

It only took a couple of seconds for the site to produce over a score of hits. Mark broke into grins as he scrolled down the page. "Right, this one looks promising. It's a small news article from Burton Daily."

"Burton?" Steve queried, his eyes widening.

"Yeah. It's the town about fifteen kilometers north of Queen's Chase Woodlands."

"I know. That's where my date from hell lives. I just returned from there after I dropped her at her house." Steve nodded as he tried to read. "Look, the article is dated 15th August 1989."

"Hey, that's today's date!" Mark exclaimed. "Thirty years ago, more or less. What a coincidence."

"I don't think there's anything coincidental about all this," was Kate's bemused remark. "Read on."

"Mr. Michael Booth and his wife, Elizabeth, are seeking the public to help find their missing four-year-old son, Adam," Mike read out loud. "The boy's disappearance was first discovered by his mother yesterday when he suddenly went missing from their front yard. She left her son playing alone with a tricycle to dash into the house to answer the ringing phone. When she came out seconds later, the boy was nowhere to be found."

Kate closed her eyes as she imagined the poor mother's anguish. "Jesus."

Steve also looked disturbed. "Alright. What else?"

"That's it, those are the only things written, along with the couple's contact number and direct hotline to the local police station. No further news after that. Looks like the boy was never found," Mark said, as he quickly scrolled down. "However, they did put up some pictures with the article. Here they are."

There were two black-and-white photos. The first one was of the Booth's couple, standing together in their front yard and looking utterly devastated. The mother even looked as if she were crying. But it was the second photo that shook Steve the most. The photo was of a laughing fair-haired young boy.

It was Adam, looking exactly like how Steve had seen him not more than an hour ago.

"Bloody hell…" Steve muttered, pointing a trembling finger at the photo displayed across the laptop screen. "That's him. That's the boy I picked up and took into my car just now."

"But how is that possible?" Kate wondered out loud, turning pale despite herself.

Feeling suddenly dizzy, Steve dropped down onto the kitchen stool and buried his head in his hands.

"Fuck if I know."

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It was a quarter past midnight when Steve finally returned home to his flat. Shutting the door, he leaned his back against it and closed his eyes with a heavy sigh.

_What a freaky night_, he thought to himself.

Pushing away from the door, he went into the kitchen and dropped his keys onto the counter. With the image of Adam still fresh in his mind, he walked to the fridge and took out a beer.

"Hey, Shortlegs. You're back."

The sudden voice from behind caused Steve to jump a foot in the air. He quickly spun around and swore, "You fucking arsehole!"

Major Shane Arnott merely grinned back in response. "What's wrong, little brother? Jumpy much?"

Rubbing his chest over his wildly pounding heart, Steve snapped, "You startled me! A little warning next time maybe? Jesus…"

Frowning, Shane gave his brother a quick once over. "Are you alright? Why do you look so pale?"

Instead of answering, Steve shook his head and downed his beer in several gulps. He then turned to look at the elder man and said, "I've had a real shitty evening. How was _your_ day?"

Shane raised his eyebrows. It looked like his younger brother was in some kind of a dreadful mood. If you value your life, you should give him a wide berth. But as a covert operative for MI-5, Shane was used to taking life threatening risks. And so he came near his seething brother, saying, "Oh, mine's peachy. Our ops near Derby today was very successful."

"Ah, good for you." Steve saluted him with the beer bottle. "By the way, how did you get in? You broke in through the bedroom window again?"

"Puh-lease…" said Shane, taking out a set of keys. "Your spare key, remember? And I always know your passcode for the main entrance downstairs."

"One of these days, I'm gonna change the passcode."

"Then I'll break in through your bedroom window again, as per usual."

Steve rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Didn't it ever cross your mind that I might bring someone home?"

"You mean, like a date?"

"Yeah. That's exactly what I mean."

"So, where's that lucky lady then?"

Steve made a face and looked away. "Don't ask."

"Oohh…" Shane made some sympathetic noises. "That bad, huh?"

"Piss off."

"Seriously, Stevie. You don't look so hot. What happened?"

After a slight hesitation, Steve pulled out a stool at the kitchen counter and sat down. "Shane, do you believe in ghosts?"

Shane blinked in surprise. "Come again?"

"You heard me. Just answer the simple question. Do you believe in ghosts?"

With a slight frown, Shane also took a seat at the counter. "Well, I've never seen one, to be honest. So I'm not sure if ghosts are real. Why do you ask?"

"Look, something strange happened to me just hours ago, and I can't really explain it. You might not even believe it if I told you."

"Try me."

And so Shane sat transfixed as his younger brother told him everything about his disastrous date, the detour he later took through the woods, and the mysterious boy he nearly ran over. Steve also explained the result from the quick research done by Mark Fleming.

"What's more, there's even a picture of him," Steve was saying, growing agitated by the minute. "The photo was taken thirty years ago, but it's the _same _boy. It's Adam, I swear it!"

"Hey, take it easy," Shane soothingly said. He reached over to give his brother's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I believe you, alright? So what are you gonna do now?"

Steve shook his head. "I have absolutely no idea. The more I think about it, the more convince I am that I'm going crazy."

"That's bullshit and you know it," said Shane.

"Then what the hell is going on? Why did all this happen, if not to fuck around with my mind!"

"Get a hold of yourself, Stevie," Shane griped, grabbing the back of his brother's neck to hold him still so they could look directly into each other's eyes. "You are not going crazy, you are not out of your fucking mind. I'm sure all this happened for a reason."

"And what reason is that?"

"Beats me, but we're gonna find out. The both of us, not you alone. Agreed?"

Calmer somewhat, Steve nodded. "Agreed."

"Good. Now go hit the bed and get a good night sleep. You'll feel a whole lot better in the morning. We'll talk more then."

"Right."

Sending his brother an appreciative look, Steve got off the stool and headed for his bedroom. Deep down, he felt huge relief that he had shared his unusual experience with the people he trusted the most. Maybe Shane was right. Maybe he would feel better in the morning, and that he would no longer doubt the state of his sanity.

However, the moment he stepped into his room, Steve noticed something oddly familiar sitting in the middle of his bed. He went still, his blood instantly ran cold.

"Shane…" he called out, but his voice was in mere whisper.

So he tried again, louder this time. "Shane."

There was no response from his brother. Shane might have not heard his call or he was simply ignoring him.

"_Shane_!" Steve hollered.

Finally Shane came running in. He was munching on an apple. With his mouth full, he groused, "What? What the hell you're shouting about?"

With a trembling finger, Steve pointed at the paper crane on his bed. "Did you put that there?"

Shane took a look and frowned. "That silly origami thing? Of course not."

"You're not shitting me here, are you? Truly, that is not your doing?"

"Stevie, I've not made a paper crane for ages. I have better things to do."

Hesitantly, Steve approached the bed to pick up the origami piece. When he realized that it was made out of a political leaflet, the very same leaflet he had found stuck under the windshield wiper of his car the day before, he swore out loud.

"_Shit_. Jesus Christ!"

"What? What is it?"

"I told you, I gave an origami crane to the boy," Steve explained, thoroughly shaken. "_This_ is that bloody thing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm completely sure because I made this myself, and then I gave it to Adam to distract him from the thunderstorm."

Shane quietly asked, "But if you gave it to Adam, how the hell did it get here?

Exchanging stricken looks with his brother, Steve had to swallow hard several times before saying, "Um…I think I'm gonna be sick."

Dropping the paper crane, he promptly ran towards the bathroom.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

"**What Corbett's missus says about undercover work, that was never you." – DS Steve Arnott to DI Kate Fleming.**

**.**

*** ****ABBREVIATIONS****:**

**AC - Anti Corruption**

**DI - Detective Inspector**

**DS - Detective Sergeant**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little too short. **

_**-AC12AC12AC12AC12AC12-**_

"_Birds flying high, you know how I feel…Sun in the sky, you know how I feel…Rays driftin' on by, you know how I feel_…"

Steve cracked one eye open. Morning sunlight pouring through the window stabbed directly into his eyeball. With a groan, he yanked up the blanket to cover his head.

"_It's a new dawn, it's a new day…It's a new life for me…And I'm feeling, so good…_"

"Bloody hell," he grumbled, pressing the pillow against his ears to block the sound of his older brother's loud singing voice.

"_The fish in the sea, you know how I feel…Live and run free, you know how I feel…The lights are on the tree, you know how I feel_…"

"Fuck." Annoyed, he shot up in bed to glare at the opened door of his bedroom. "Shut the hell up!"

The singing only grew louder.

"_It's a new day, it's a new dawn, it's a new life for me...And I'm FEELING GOOD.._!"

With a snarl, Steve grabbed the pillow off the bed and threw it with all his might. It hit the door with a muffled thump.

"Knock it off!" he yelled. "I'm trying to sleep back here!"

Seconds later, Shane appeared at the doorway with a big grin. One hand was holding a spatula, the other was carrying the pillow. "Morning, sunshine."

"Piss off."

"About time you wake up."

"How can I continue sleeping through all that racket?" Steve glared. "What time is it anyway?"

"A quarter past nine."

"Really?" Steve was surprised. He felt as if he had drifted off only minutes ago. After discovering the origami piece in his bed, he had spent the entire night tossing and turning, hardly able to sleep. When sleep finally came, it was filled with daunting dreams about a boy being chased by an unknown figure through deep darkest woods.

"Come on, little brother. Up and at it," said Shane, flinging back the pillow. It hit Steve fully in the face with enough force to throw him backwards.

"You're an arsehole!"

"I know." Shane smirked. Returning to the kitchen, he said, "I've made breakfast. Hurry up, Stevie, or there'll be no food left for you!"

An hour later, the Arnott brothers were on the road. Shane was at the wheel of his Range Rover, while Steve sat next to him in quiet contemplation. It was a Sunday morning, so there was not much traffic about. It didn't take too much time for them to reach the south gate of the Queen's Chase Woodlands, the very spot where the boy Adam had made his disappearing act on Steve.

Shane drove on, while Steve sat up straighter and grew more attentive as he looked at both sides of the road, searching for any familiar landmarks.

"Stop," Steve finally said, placing a hand on his brother's arm.

Shane instantly pulled over by the side of the road. "This is it?"

"Yeah, this is it," the younger man confirmed, staring at the large and imposing ancient oak tree looming on their right. "I recognized that tree. I nearly crashed my car into it last night."

They both got out, and Steve immediately went to inspect the ground beneath the oak tree.

"Right. These are the tire tracks from my car," he said with a nod. The tracks were still clearly visible despite the heavy rain the night before.

"Where did you first caught sight of the boy? I mean when you saw him running across the road." Shane asked.

Steve straightened up. "My car skidded after I hit the brakes, so maybe about ten meters back?"

Together, the brothers walked several paces onward, looking around them with the analytical eye of a soldier and a police officer.

"I found him behind some bushes," Steve said, coming to a halt. He pointed to a shady spot on his right. "_Those_ bushes."

Just like the night before, he approached the bushes with some caution. It was as if he anticipated to see Adam still huddling there. But now, under the light of day, he didn't see anyone.

Steve briefly closed his eyes with a soft sigh, feeling huge relief. He felt a slight disappointment too. He had not expected to meet the mysterious boy again, but he truly needed to get some valid explanation about the entire inexplicable situation. Was he just seeing things last night, or was he indeed losing his mind?

"Steve?" was Shane's quiet call, pulling Steve from his reverie. He turned around.

"Yeah?"

"What do you want to do now?"

Steve shrugged. "I have not the faintest idea. Maybe we should scour the area? Frankly speaking, I don't even know what to look for."

With a slight smile, Shane came closer and clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "You shall know when you see it. Come on, Stevie. Let's begin."

"But where do we start?"

"Use your gut instinct. That's your best asset and you know it."

Pursing his lips, Steve stared some more at the spot where he had found Adam last night. "If I were a frightened little boy and someone was chasing me, where would I go?"

"When _you_ were a frightened little boy and the lightning was chasing you, you ran crying to me," was Shane's droll comment, causing Steve to swivel around with a ferocious glare.

"Sorry," said Shane, though he didn't look the least bit apologetic.

Rolling his eyes with a shake of his head, Steve then stepped around the bushes and went deeper into the woods, his brother following not far behind. They walked quietly between the trees, their eyes searching for anything out of the ordinary to give them some clues. Even in broad daylight in the middle of summer, the dense canopy ahead provided dark shadows that was both cooling as well as unnerving.

Suddenly, something fluttered above their heads. They both looked up and saw a low flying bird. When it landed on a nearby tree branch, the brothers gaped at it in wonder. This type of bird was larger than any ordinary birds, with long legs and a long neck. Its feathers were greyish in color.

"It's a _grus grus_!" Steve exclaimed in astonishment.

"Huh?" Shane was confused. "A what?"

"A _grus grus_, another name for the common crane," Steve repeated, smiling up at the bird that was now cawing happily back at them. "But common cranes are very rare around here. And it's summer. They usually migrate to this part of Europe during autumn or winter. This particular one must have decided to remain here, who knows?"

When he got no response to that, Steve turned around to find his older brother giving him a real strange look.

"What are you? A walking Wikipedia?" Shane incredulously asked.

Steve scowled. "Hey, I read, okay? And I watch Animal Planet too. So sue me."

The crane chose that moment to leave the tree branch. It flew lower in a full circle before coming to land atop of a shrubbery. And then it just motionlessly perched there, as if waiting for the two humans to make their next move.

Almost involuntarily, Steve began to edge forward, making his approach. He stepped through the thick undergrowth, slowly yet steadily so as not to startle the bird.

"Careful, Stevie," Shane cautioned him.

"It's just a bird."

The instant those words left his mouth, the ground disappeared beneath his feet. He fell through a void before landing hard on his side.

"Steve!" Shane yelled, rushing towards the spot where he had last seen his brother. "_Stevie_!"

Groaning, Steve slowly rolled onto his back. His left shoulder was hurting terribly. It might be dislocated, because he heard a loud pop when he landed on it. And his head…

"Shit," he swore. He was already tired of getting concussions.

"Steve!" Shane was yelling in frantic again. Looking up, Steve saw his older brother peering down at him from about ten feet above.

"What?"

Lying on his stomach over the edge of the chasm and surrounded by the bushy undergrowth, Shane gave his brother a killing glare. "_What_? You nearly broke your neck for not listening to me and you ask me '_what'_?"

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. "Shut up."

His eyes flew back open when bright lights penetrated his eyelids. Shane was aiming a torchlight directly at him.

"How are you doing, Stevie? Are you hurt?"

Pushing with his good arm, Steve gingerly rose to a sitting position. "I'm alright, I think. Nothing broken. But my left shoulder is busted, man. I need help climbing back up."

"I have some ropes in the back of my car. Stay put. I'll go get it."

"Shane, wait!"

The other man paused. "What is it?"

When his younger brother didn't immediately respond, Shane shone his torchlight back into the pit. "Stevie?"

"Uh…Shane? I think I'm not alone down here."

"What the hell you talking about?"

"There," Steve said, clearly unnerved, as he pointed at something in one dark corner. "Can't you see it?"

When the beam from Shane's torchlight finally fell upon it, he was so shocked he almost fell into the chasm to join his brother.

There, lying on the ground just several feet away from the younger Arnott, was the remains of a child. It had been completely skeletonized after a long time being exposed to the natural elements, totally decomposed beyond recognition.

What's more, the skeleton was still clothed in a frayed red t-shirt and a pair of dark pants.

"Stevie," Shane said, a little shaken himself. "I know it's insane but…I think you've just found Adam."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**A/N: Stay tuned for the FINAL chapter.**

"**When you're in a hole, stop digging." – DS Steve Arnott.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here's the finale, guys. Enjoy…or not. **

_**-AC12AC12AC12AC12AC12-**_

When DI Kate Fleming finally arrived at the scene two hours later, the area was already crawling with uniformed policemen and forensic investigators. One section of the site had been cordoned with the blue and white police tape. Lining up the otherwise deserted road were unmarked vehicles, several patrol cars, two large vans that belonged to the forensic team, and an ambulance.

Kate headed directly towards the back of the ambulance where Steve sat stoically as a paramedic examined his injured shoulder. Shane, meanwhile, stood to one side with a bored expression on his face. He instantly broke into grins the moment he saw her.

"DI Fleming."

Kate couldn't resist smiling back. "Major Arnott. We meet again."

"Looks like we can't escape each other," Shane easily replied, his grin grew wider.

Steve rolled his eyes.

Slightly blushing, Kate turned to her partner. "I came here as fast as I could, mate. I had to drop my family at home first."

"No worries. So how's the outing at _The Jump_?"

_The Jump_ was a recreational center downtown where kids and adults alike could jump around on giant trampolines. It was Steve who had suggested the place to the Flemings to take their son for the weekend.

Kate beamed. "Josh loves it! Mark? Not so much. He threw up after ten minutes on that bloody thing."

Steve laughed, but instantly broke into groans when the paramedic deftly slipped a sling onto his left arm.

Kate frowned. "Jesus, Steve. How badly are you hurt?"

"It's just a dislocated shoulder," Shane answered without much sympathy towards his hurting younger brother. "But he screamed like a slaughtered cat when I popped it back into its socket."

"That was nicely done, by the way, sir," the paramedic chimed in, smiling himself as he adjusted the sling as per Steve's comfort. "It wasn't your first time, I reckon?"

"Army medic trained in the field," Shane replied, looking so smug Steve felt like punching him.

"You didn't have to enjoy it too damn much," he fumed, looking slightly pale. His mood didn't improve when Shane began telling Kate about how he had managed to haul Steve up and out of the pit.

"It's so bloody easy," Shane boasted, "Shortlegs here doesn't weigh much. I could have foregone the ropes and just chuck him out of there with my own bare hands."

Kate chuckled at that. And her blushes deepened as Shane kept flashing her his dimples.

Annoyed by his brother's incessant flirting with Kate, Steve turned to the paramedic. "Are we done here, Andy?"

"Yes, Sarge. We're all done," the paramedic responded. Their paths had crossed several times before that they already recognized each other by names. "When you get home, put some ice on your shoulder to reduce the pain and swelling. And keep that sling on for a couple of days at least."

"Right. Will do."

"And no strenuous activities using that arm for a while," Andy advised, closing the box of his medical kit. "I also suggest you get it x-rayed, in case there's a fracture."

"Thanks, but I don't think that's necessary," said Steve, getting to his feet.

"Yeah, Steve is an expert now. He has been going in and out of hospital as if it were his second home," Shane drolly commented, "I would worry more about his head though. He has been knocked around too much I'm not sure his brain is aligned anymore."

Steve wordlessly flipped his brother the bird using his good hand.

Laughing, Andy shut the back door of the ambulance close. "Alright, Sarge. If you no longer need us here, we need to make a move."

"Sure. Thanks again, Andy."

Kate and the Arnotts watched as the paramedic got into the passenger seat of the ambulance before it drove away, no cherry lights flashing or sirens blaring this time.

"So," she said, turning back to the brothers. "Who's in charge here?"

"The SIO is DCI William Banks from Meadow Park Station. This part of the woods is his patch," Steve replied, walking stiffly towards the cordoned area where a group of police officers were segregating. One of the officers, a handsome black man in mid-forties, immediately broke off the discussion to come forward with a half-smile.

"DI Kate Fleming, I presume? DS Arnott told me you're coming." He shook hands with her. "DCI Banks."

"A pleasure meeting you, sir," she responded, looking at the swirl of activities behind him. "What's the status? If you don't mind me asking."

"It's a bit too early to tell. The forensics are still examining the remains in situ. So far, all they can confirm is that the body has been there for a really long time, could be more than twenty years."

DCI Banks then narrowed his eyes. "Say, this has nothing to do with AC-12, right? DS Arnott said he and his brother found the body totally by accident."

"That's right, sir. This has nothing to do with our department whatsoever," Kate said, glancing at both Shane and Steve who gave her innocent looks in return. "At least, none that I know of."

"What were the two of you doing here, anyway?" Banks asked the Arnott brothers.

"As I've said before, sir, we were hiking. Brotherly bonding time," Steve replied with a straight face.

"Hiking in the woods could be real hazardous nowadays," Shane easily commented with a shrug. "Who knows what we would stumble into along the way?"

DCI Banks frowned at the two brothers. He was no fool. He could tell they were hiding something behind their deadpan expressions, but he had no suitable reasons to cross-examine or detain them at the scene any longer.

"Fine," Banks finally said with a sigh. "If there isn't anything else, the both of you are free to go."

"Thank you, sir," said both Arnott brothers, looking as impassive as ever.

"Call me if you got something else significant to add, yeah?" DCI Banks reminded them with a probing look.

"Certainly, sir," Steve easily replied. "And we would be glad if you could share with us the result from the forensics later on."

"Any reason why, DS Arnott?"

Steve shrugged with his good shoulder. "Personal interest, sir. I found the body after all. I need to know if and when they identify the dead kid."

Banks nodded. "Sure, that can be arrange. But it might take a while. Firstly, removing the body is going to be quite a painstaking process considering its current physical position. To find the match to the body's DNA will be no easy feat either."

"We understand, sir. You're going to have lot of work in front of you," said Kate. "So feel free to contact us if you need any assistance. We are more than happy to help."

"Thanks, DI Fleming. I appreciate that."

As DCI Banks moved to rejoin his investigating team, Steve called out, "Sir?"

Turning around, Banks frowned in return. "Yes, DS Arnott?"

After a slight hesitation, Steve said with a pensive look, "May I suggest something?"

"Yes, of course. What is it?"

"I think you also need to deploy some tracking dogs to the surrounding area."

Surprised by that suggestion, Kate and Shane swung their heads to stare at him.

Banks' eyes widened. "Why?"

"Yes, Steve," Kate agreed, clearly puzzled. "DCI Banks has said it before, the body you found has been sitting there for ages. If it were the outcome of a foul play, any traces of the perpetrator would be long gone by now."

"I'm aware, but I have a feeling that the body in that pit is not the only one you're going to find. There will be more."

Steve restrained himself from fidgeting as the others gave him a sharp stare.

"Really, brother," said Shane, his eyebrows raised. "Where the hell did you get that ghastly idea?"

"Call it a hunch."

To DCI Banks, Steve said, "With respect, sir, I'm not telling you how to do your job. But those tracking dogs wouldn't hurt your investigation, would it? They even might help you find some leftover clues."

"Right. It wouldn't hurt that much, except to add more to the cost of manpower," Banks muttered, looking briefly up to the sky as if seeking approval from his superiors above. Finally, he relented. "Fine, DS Arnott. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, sir."

When Kate and the Arnott brothers returned to gather near Shane's car soon afterwards, she asked, "Seriously, Steve? _More_ bodies? Are you certain?"

"Like I said, it's a hunch. I have a strong feeling that would be the case."

When she still looked skeptical, he added. "Actually, before I went to bed last night, I managed to do an online research about the cases of missing children reported in the local media around the period when Adam disappeared. There was quite a number of them."

"You think the cases were connected?" Shane asked.

"Could be. We wouldn't know for certain unless there are more bodies found."

"That's quite a risk you took, mentioning that theory to DCI Banks," Kate commented. "If the body you found had been recent, you could be taken in as a person of interest. Or worse, a suspect."

"Yeah, I know," said Steve, looking apprehensive himself. "But the main question now, is if the body I found is really Adam?"

For a moment there was tense silence as the three of them exchanged looks.

"I couldn't see clearly from way up, but I noticed that the body is real small," Shane then said. "It's also wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of dark pants. Correct?"

Steve nodded.

"And that's was how you saw Adam last night? That was the same clothes he wore?"

"Yes."

Shane turned to Kate. "Okay. Let's say that Steve is right, that the body indeed belongs to Adam. But how do we prove it? How are we going to connect him to Michael and Elizabeth Booth?"

"You mean, Adam's parents?"

"Yes, Adam's parents, the ones who reported his disappearance thirty years ago. We can't just simply pluck their names and present them to DCI Banks without any concrete and sensible evidence to support it." Shane shrugged. "Not unless we told Banks that Steve here is a psychic."

"Hey," Steve protested with a glare. "Don't even go there. I'm not a bloody psychic. Not even close."

"That I agree. You're definitely _not_ a psychic or you would have foreseen that hole instead of fallen into it." Kate chuckled.

"Ha ha. Hilarious." Steve rolled his eyes. "Anyway, about Adam's parents, are they even still alive?"

"Leave it to me. I'll check it out," Kate said. "Maybe I could contact someone from the local station and ask them to reopen the mispers cold cases."

"Thanks, ma'am."

"Just doing my job, mate." Kate smiled in return as she made a move towards her own car. "Alright, see you guys later."

"I miss you already, DI Fleming," Shane glibly called out, causing her to blush to the roots of her hair.

Steve scowled at his brother after she was gone. "For the hundredth time, Shane, she's a married woman with a young son. Furthermore, she's my boss."

"I know, I know." Shane grinned back. "No harm in trying, though, does it?"

For once, Steve had no response to that.

_**-AC12AC12AC12AC12AC12-**_

Two days later, when Steve and Kate came out of the interview room after an hour of grueling interrogation session with a major suspect related to their current case, PC Tatleen Sohota instantly came to intercept.

"Sarge? DCI Banks from Meadow Park Station has been trying to reach you several times now," she said, passing Steve a post-it note. "He left his number. He asked you to return his call as soon as possible."

Frowning, Steve looked at the phone number written down on the note. He then exchanged puzzled looks with Kate, who merely shrugged in response.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Go ahead, mate. Call him."

Returning to his desk, Steve picked up the phone and dialed. It was promptly picked up on the other line.

"DCI Banks."

"Sir? DS Arnott. You asked me to return your calls."

When the man on the other line suddenly went quiet for a long time, Steve's frown grew deeper. "Sir? Are you still there?"

"How did you know?"

Steve blinked, perplexed. "I'm sorry?"

"How did you know about the bodies?"

Glancing at Kate who was watching the one-way exchange with avid interest, Steve shrugged. "Like I've told you, I stumbled upon the body accidentally. Has it been removed from the pit yet?"

"It's in the morgue now, being thoroughly processed. The forensic anthropologists are harvesting DNAs right as we speak," Banks hurriedly explained. "But that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about the _bodies_. Plural."

"Okay…" Steve carefully responded. "What about the bodies?"

"As per your suggestion, we have just sent out K-9 units into the woods, focusing mainly on the surrounding area where you found the child's remains." Banks paused to take a deep breath before continuing, "You were right, DS Arnott. The tracking dogs have led us to more bodies, all buried in shallow graves."

Steve's heart beat faster. "And?"

"There were nine of them," Banks said, clearly shaken. "Nine bodies of little children."

_**-AC12AC12AC12AC12AC12-**_

_Burton. One month later…_

Steve turned his service vehicle into the driveway of a double-storey house painted in baby blue with white trimmings. It still looked exactly like the first time he saw it in the photo that was taken thirty years ago.

After ringing the doorbell, Steve gazed around at the front yard as he waited. The lawn out front was well-trimmed, bordered by hydrangea bushes that were in full bloom. A perfect spot for a child to romp about, or riding a tricycle.

A middle-age man with a pair of sad eyes soon appeared at the door. He peered back at Steve a little curiously. "Can I help you?"

"I'm DS Steve Arnott from Central Police," Steve responded with a disarming smile, holding up his warrant card. "You are Michael Booth?"

"Yes, I am."

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir. I came here regarding your late son, Adam," Steve kindly said. "May we talk inside?"

The other man was struck speechless for a bit, but he quickly recovered. "Err…yes, of course. Please, come in."

Steve followed as Mike Booth led him into the house towards a sitting room that overlooked the front yard.

"Do take a seat," the elder man invited. "Would you like any tea or coffee?"

"I'm fine, sir. Thank you."

"Uh…" Mike briefly hesitated. "I'm gonna go get my wife. Give me a moment."

While waiting for his host to return, Steve went to view the framed photographs that were neatly arranged atop the mantle of the fireplace. Most were recent photos of Mike and his wife. There was also a photo of a pretty young woman, another of her with a child and a man. Among those recent ones, Steve also noticed an old photo of a laughing young boy. Adam.

Soon afterwards, the elderly man reentered the room with his wife. Steve quickly came forward to greet her.

"Mrs. Booth? I'm DS Steve Arnott."

"Arnott?" Mike and Elizabeth Booth exchanged knowing looks before turning back to the AC-12 officer.

"We were told about you. You're the police officer who found him," the woman said in wonder. "You're the one who found my son."

Steve nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I did."

Near tears, she reached for his hand and squeezed it. "How did you know where to find him?"

Steve swallowed hard. "I didn't. I was hiking in the woods with my brother, and accidentally stumbled upon his body."

Upon Kate's interactions with her contacts at the police stations in Burton and nearby towns, the mispers cold cases from thirty years back had been reopened. The discovery of nine other remains in the woods had given them more pertinent reason to carry out new investigations, starting with the task of identifying the bodies.

DCI Banks and his team had had a real busy month. They had contacted the living kin of the children that had been reported missing in the surrounding area during that period of time. And just days earlier, the pathologist lab had produced a result from the DNA test made on the remains of the body that Steve had found. It matched to his parents', the Booths.

Leading him by the hand towards the sofa, Elizabeth pulled Steve to sit next to her. Her husband took his seat on an easy chair across from them.

"We have not enough words to express our gratitude to you, DS Arnott," she said.

"Please, ma'am. Just call me Steve," he said, squeezing her hand in return.

"Steve." Her eyes swimming with tears, the woman said, "It still hurts me…every time I remember that awful day. We kept wondering what really happened to Adam. Was he alive, was he dead? The not-knowing nearly killed me."

"For years, we never stopped searching for him," Mike sadly said. "In the end, we had to accept the truth that Adam will never be coming home. And now they told us that he has been found. What's left of him, that is. It hurts so damn much, but at least we now have a body to bury."

"How did he die? Do you know what actually happened to my baby?"

Steve turned to the heartbroken mother. "The police are still investigating. They have also found several bodies near where I found Adam. Some cold cases of missing children have been reopened, so that the police can figure out if it had any connection to Adam's disappearance."

"Was Adam murdered by the same person who killed those other kids?" Mike asked.

Steve hesitated. "Have the pathologist lab shared with you the cause of Adam's death, Mr. Booth?"

"Yes. They told us his neck was broken. Also, there was a slight fracture to his skull."

Nodding, Steve said, "Actually, those injuries were the result of his fall into the pit. His death was instantaneous and painless, whereas those other kids were killed by a sharp weapon stabbed through the chest. Adam tried to escape his abductor, fighting for his life to the very end. He was a fighter."

The elderly woman broke into sobs. Steve gently gathered her into his arms and let her weep against his shoulder. When she had calmed down somewhat, he turned to Mike and asked, "I noticed a photo of a young woman on that mantelpiece. Who is she?"

"Oh, that's Adrianne, Adam's younger sister," Mike said, smiling indulgently. "When we lost Adam, we thought we would never have another child. The pain of losing one was too great. But about six years after he went missing, our daughter came along. She's married now with a kid of her own."

Steve smiled in response. "I'm glad to know that."

Elizabeth Booth looked up and gazed at Steve's face. "If Adam were still alive, he would be about your age I think."

"That's right." Mike nodded. "He would turn thirty four this coming September."

Intrigued, Steve wanted to know more, "What's the date of his birthday?"

"September 23rd, 1985," Elizabeth softly replied, smiling in reminiscence. "I can still remember that night when he was born. There was a real fierce thunderstorm. Never seen anything like it."

"That's right," Mike agreed. "It was so bad that trees toppled across the road. I couldn't even get my wife to the hospital. She gave birth in this very house. Thank god my older sister was here to help deliver the baby. She was a nurse."

The woman added, "I guess that's why Adam was so afraid of lightning. And if I remember correctly, the night after Adam disappeared, there was a real bad thunderstorm too. He must be feeling really scared then…"

Steve was very surprised to learn that.

Nevertheless, he didn't tell them that he had been born on the night of September 23rd 1985 as well. He also didn't tell them that his mother had given birth to him in a house in Exeter—over two hundred kilometers away—because he had come out too soon and that they couldn't get her to the hospital in time because the main road had been blocked by a fallen tree due to a terrible thunderstorm.

The minutiae of his and Adam's birth was almost exactly the same.

Still dazed by the uncanny coincidence, Steve said his goodbyes to the Booths soon afterwards. When he reached his car, he turned around to take a last glimpse of their house.

And almost collapsed to the ground from great shock.

There was Adam, in broad daylight, wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of dark pants as he sat on a tricycle on the front lawn. The boy waved back at Steve with a happy smile before he slowly vanished into thin air.

Unknown to him, a common crane soared high above his head in one complete circle before it flew away, never to be seen again.

**THE END**

**Stay tuned for more LOD stories. Later, guys. **

"**I came from a loving family. I had a nice childhood." – DS Steve Arnott.**

**.**

*** ****ABBREVIATIONS****:**

**AC - Anti Corruption**

**DCI - Detective Chief Inspector**

**DI - Detective Inspector**

**SIO - Senior Investigating Officer**


End file.
